TNB Ready To Undertake Malaysia’s First Nuclear Power Plant

(Bernama) — Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) is ready to undertake the country’s first nuclear power plant but needs the public to understand the importance of having the plan to meet future demand for electricity.

“We already have our own team, about seven to eight people, looking at nuclear. We also sent them for postgraduate studies in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and South Korea to learn the nuclear technology,” he told reporters on the sidelines of TNB Hari Raya Open House here.

He was commenting on the government’s entry point projects under the Economic Transformation Programme which include deploying nuclear energy for power generation.

“I think the government is aiming to have a nuclear plant ready by 2021. That is a very aggressive target. I hope Malaysians can support that because at the end of the day, to build the first nuclear power plant takes a long time,” he said.

He said TNB, together with the Malaysian Nuclear Agency and Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water, had prepared preliminary papers for the government to consider.

“I think we are waiting for the right time for the government to decide as we need to solve the problem of how to meet future demand post-2020.

“If we want to meet future demand by using current solutions, namely gas and coal, I don’t think we can fulfill electricity demand by 2021,” he said.

Besides, he said, there was a need for the government’s direct involvement in the project as a nuclear power plant would involve strategic and security policies and a government guarantee.

The Hari Raya Open House was attended by some 3,000 TNB employees, during which TNB Chairman Tan Sri Leo Moggie and Che Khalib presented “duit raya” to 49 children.